The Butterfly Effect of Networking Explainedstring(44) "The Butterfly Effect of Networking Explained"

October 10, 2013
, , , , , , , , , Book, Butterfly Effect of Networking, Connections, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Referrals, Relationships, Video Blog 7

The Butterfly Effect is part of chaos theory, which is a part of mathematics.  It basically proposes that the flapping of the wings of a butterfly alter something extremely minute but which starts a domino effect of altering one thing after another until something finally gets altered which actually changes the weather.   So what does the Butterfly Effect have to do with networking?  Take 5 minutes to watch this video and find out!  I tell a pretty powerful story about how the Butterfly Effect caused some very unexpected things to happen in my life, resulting in an amazing experience.

As I’ve mentioned in a couple of my recent video blog posts, Jack Canfield, Gautam Ganglani, and I are currently working together on a book about networking.  Today’s video is one of several short videos I’ll be posting which cover networking topics we will be focusing on in the book.  These videos are the result of brainstorming sessions for the book and, ultimately, we want to gather stories from networkers like you who have experience with the different topics I discuss in these videos.

If you have a story relating to the ‘Butterfly Effect of Networking’ which demonstrates the power of this concept in a significant or remarkable way, please visit www.SubmitYourNetworkingStory.com to submit your story for a chance to be published in the upcoming book on networking that Jack Canfield, Gautam Ganglani, and I will be publishing.  Also, I’d love for you to briefly summarize your story in the comment forum below as well.  Thanks in advance for your participation!

What to Do Before You Start Networkingstring(38) "What to Do Before You Start Networking"

September 12, 2013
, , , , Bob, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Video Blog 8

I met a businesswoman some time ago who approached me and asked if she could have a few minutes of my time to pick my brain because she was really having a hard time building her network.  I think the information I shared with her will likely be useful to many BusinessNetworking.com blog readers as well so today I’d like to share this video with you where I talk about what to do before you start networking.

Whether you think you’ve got your networking tactics pretty well nailed down or not, I’m willing to bet you’ll learn a thing or two from this video so take a few minutes to watch it and then ask yourself these questions:

1. Why are you in business?

– What do you love to do?
– How does your business serve others?

2. What do you sell?

– What are the benefits of your products/services?

3. Who are your customers?

– What niche do you prefer to work with?

4. What are your core competencies?

– What do you do best?

5. How well do you compete?

– How do you stand out from your competition?

Also, here’s the link to the video I made last year with Eddie Esposito of the Referral Institute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgnZuAjFGO8 and, as I mention in this video, I would love to hear your additional ideas and creative tactics for teaching people how to refer you so please share your thoughts in the comment forum below.  And, by the way, this is one of the special videos where Bob is playing his famous hide-and-seek game so for the first ten people who add to their comment where Bob makes his cameo appearance (and get the answer right) during the video, I’ll send them a surprise gift which will help them boost their networking knowledge!  (Note: To ensure you receive your gift, please e-mail your name and complete mailing address to Lransom@bni.com with the subject line “Bob.”)  I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Lisa Nichols: Powerhouse Speaking to Build Businessstring(51) "Lisa Nichols: Powerhouse Speaking to Build Business"

September 5, 2013
, , , , , Business, Educational Resources, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Recommendation, Self Development, Video Blog, Visibility 1

In this short video, I’m joined by my good friend, master speaker and trainer Lisa Nichols, to talk about “Powerhouse Speaking.”  It’s nearly impossible to grow a business without speaking, which is why business owners around the world use speaking to increase their customer base.

The question is, what is the most effective way to build your speaking platform and hone your core message in order to create the most revenue and financially infuse your business?  How do you systematically move your audience to action?  Watch the video now to learn how you can become a Powerhouse Speaker, build trust and rapport with your audience within the first seven minutes of speaking, and increase your closing ratio from 10 to 25 percent.

In what ways, large and small, have you used speaking to grow your business? Have you joined a weekly networking group where you give a short speech about your business to your fellow networkers each week?  Have you made a habit of speaking to community service clubs such as Rotary or Kiwanis?  There are so many ways to use speaking to build your revenue stream and I would love to hear about the particular ways you’ve used speaking and what results you’ve experienced from it.  Please share your stories in the comment forum below and, as always, thanks so much for watching my video blogs and participating by offering your feedback–I absolutely love hearing from BusinessNetworking.com blog readers!

MotivatingTheMasses

For more information, be sure to visit Lisa’s website: www.MotivatingTheMasses.com/Powerhouse.

How to Invest Your Time & Money for the Highest Returnstring(59) "How to Invest Your Time & Money for the Highest Return"

August 29, 2013
, , , , , , , , Business, Educational Resources, Entrepreneurial Enterprise, ROI, Self Development, Strategic Planning, Strategy, Success, Video Blog 14

In this video, I talk about how to invest time and money into your business in the way that will ultimately pay the highest return–education.

Many businesses fail within their first three years of existence because they only pay lip service to education yet aren’t willing to invest the time, effort, and money into learning about how to continually grow and develop in order to achieve the business goals and the vision they outlined for themselves at the start.

The fact is, people who immerse and engage in a culture of learning are much, much more successful than those who don’t. Watch the video now to learn about an action you can take this week that will help you measure whether or not you’re investing enough of your time and money into what will truly help your business earn more and achieve more. 

BobGrowthGraphI’m quite interested in hearing your thoughts on this video, your comments about what you currently do in order to invest in educating yourself to build your business, and also your results from carrying out the action item I explain at the end of the video.  Please leave your feedback regarding any or all of these things in the comment forum below, and for the first ten people who add to their comment where Bob makes his cameo appearance (and get the answer right) during the video, I’ll send them a surprise gift that will most definitely help them invest in their networking education!  (Note: To ensure you receive your gift, please e-mail your name and complete mailing address to erin@bni.com with the subject line “Bob.”)  I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Want Visibility, Credibility, & Profitability? First You Need One Thing . . . Relationshipsstring(96) "Want Visibility, Credibility, & Profitability? First You Need One Thing . . . Relationships"

August 22, 2013
, , , , , Building Relationships, Connections, Credibility, Giving, Ivan Misner, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Online Networking, Profitability, Relationships, Self Development, Success, VCP Process, Video Blog, Visibility 17

I’ve mentioned the VCP Process® time and time again throughout the years on this blog site because we simply can’t achieve success at networking without strategically building visibility, earning credibility, and then ultimately gaining profitability.  The key to all three of these things, however, is found in one thing . . . relationships.

In this short video, my good friend Lisa Nichols and I explain how building quality relationships is the single most powerful thing you can do to position yourself for success and fulfillment in every area of your life.  As Lisa puts it, when you nurture your relationships with good intention, people will innately want to give back to you.  Lisa talks about how she has built her entire business through investing in quality relationships (as have I) and because of this, her business has grown by double digits each and every year.

Lisa and I are a perfect example of how building quality relationships with others can enrich your life and your business in amazing ways.  Over the years since we first met at a TLC Conference, we have developed a deep respect for one another and an irreplaceable friendship through our mutual dedication to helping each other in any way we can.

Watch the video now and think about how you might take specific actions in the coming weeks to invest in building quality relationships with those around you . . . who would you most like to approach and ask, “How can I help you? . . . Is there something I might be able to do for you in order to help you meet your goals?”

I would love to hear your feedback on this video or how you are going to take action in the near future toward nurturing your new and existing relationships.  Please leave your ideas and thoughts in the comment forum below–AND . . . I’ll send a surprise gift to the first ten people who add to their comment the correct answer as to where another of my good friends (Bob) is hiding in this video.  He may not be so easy to spot this time but I promise he’s there just begging to be noticed!  (NOTE: To ensure you receive your gift, you’ll need to send your full name and mailing address to Erin@bni.com after you leave your comment in the comment forum below).  Thanks in advance for your input and participation!

Bob2

Also, Bob says he really recommends that you click here (www.MotivatingTheMasses.com) to read more about Lisa and the inspiring work she does on a daily basis. 

 

How To Avoid Embarrassment When You Can’t Remember Someone’s Namestring(77) "How To Avoid Embarrassment When You Can’t Remember Someone’s Name"

August 15, 2013
, , , , , , Conversation, Introducing Yourself, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Video Blog 41

If you’ve ever been approached by someone and drawn a complete blank trying to remember their name, or even where you know them from, you know how awkward and embarrassing that situation can be.

In this video, I share a story from one of my blog readers which describes a scenario of this very nature and I answer his question of what I would have done if I were in the same sticky situation.

As part of my answer, I explain what has worked for me in the past at times when I’ve been caught in uncomfortable situations similar to the one the blog reader found himself in and I offer two specific actions you can take to handle situations like these with diplomacy in order to avoid embarrassment.

After watching the video, I’d love for you to let me know what you think of my approach and, even better, I’d love to hear your additional ideas and suggestions for handling these kinds of potentially embarrassing situations.  As an added incentive, for the first 10 people who leave a comment with feedback on what I discuss in the video and/or share their own ideas on the topic AND ALSO correctly pinpoint where Bob is hiding (mention where Bob is hiding along with your comment), I’ll mail you a prize that will help enhance your networking efforts (to ensure you receive your prize, you’ll need to send your full name and mailing address to Erin@bni.com after you leave your comment in the comment forum below).  Thanks in advance for your input and participation!

Bob

Making Business Personal Is Sometimes a Very Good Thingstring(55) "Making Business Personal Is Sometimes a Very Good Thing"

July 25, 2013
, , , , , , , , , BNI, Business, Credibility, Marketing/Sales, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Referrals, Storytelling, Video Blog, Word of Mouth 1

In this short video, business networking expert Charlie Lawson demonstrates how powerful storytelling can be in relation to networking for your business and he does it by none other than . . . you guessed it . . . telling a story.

The fact is, you can tell someone what you do for a living all day long but chances are, that’s not going to make you stand out.  You need to start relaying true stories about how your products and services have had a significantly positive impact on the way your customers feel and the quality of their lives.

As Charlie says, “The story is what gets us and the more we make our stories about what we do in business personal, the more results we’re going to have.”

Do you have a powerful, standout story about how your products or services have impacted your customers?  If so, I’d really love to hear it–please share your story in the comment forum below.  Thanks!

 

If You’re Not Networking Up, You’re Not Tapping into Your True Potentialstring(84) "If You’re Not Networking Up, You’re Not Tapping into Your True Potential"

July 18, 2013
, , , , , , Connections, Mentors, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Referral Institute, Relationships, Self Development, Success, Video Blog 7

In this short video, referral marketing expert Tom Fleming and I explain what networking ‘up’ is all about and why it’s imperative to the success of your business that you focus on networking up.

Though our natural instinct is often to stay firmly planted in our own comfort zone by associating with people who are either equally as successful or less successful than we are, if we want to achieve higher levels of success, it is crucial that we network up by making an effort to surround ourselves with people who are more successful.

Jack Canfield often says that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with and that concept holds quite a bit of truth; if you surround yourself with and spend the most time with people who are more successful than you, you are in a perfect position to constantly learn from them, meet other successful and accomplished people through their networks, and continually challenge yourself to achieve higher and higher levels of success.

Take a minute to think about a successful person you admire.  What is something they have experience with that you could use their advice on in order to improve your business?  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by contacting them and asking them to share their knowledge with you so what are you waiting for?  Make it your goal to connect with them in the next seven days and to start putting consistent effort into nurturing your relationship with them.  Next, repeat this process week after week with other successful people you would like to surround yourself with and learn from–I guarantee you will be amazed at the results and pleasantly surprised at their willingness to help.

If you’re already networking up, what are some of the most invaluable things you’ve learned from the successful people you’ve been brave enough to reach out to and build relationships with?  Please share your thoughts in the comment forum below–I’d love to hear about your experiences with this!

Time + Learning + Networking = Referral Marketing Successstring(57) "Time + Learning + Networking = Referral Marketing Success"

July 11, 2013
, , , , , , , , , , , , , Educational Resources, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Referral Institute, Referrals, Strategy, Success, Video Blog 3

In this short video, I’m joined by two esteemed referral marketing experts, Phil Bedford and Tom Fleming, each of whom offer memorable metaphors which demonstrate the crucial nature of education in achieving success when it comes to business networking and referral marketing.

Watch the video now to find out how lumberjacks, lots of excuses, driving a vehicle, and one good reason can all combine to help you make time in your schedule to learn more and ultimately earn more.

After watching the video, think about the ways in which you might already seek out education in regard to business networking (e.g., reading the blog posts on this site, etc.) and please leave a comment in the comment forum below sharing your suggestions for great educational resources which may help others learn valuable tools and skills to improve their referral marketing success.  I’m always on the lookout for great books, blogs, etc. so if you’ve found educational resources that have been particularly helpful to you, I’d love to hear about them–thanks!

ReferralInstituteLogo

 

 

 

To find out more about the Referral Institute®, the educational organization in which Phil Bedford and Tom Fleming are both highly involved, please visit www.ReferralInstitute.com.

Tiffanie Kellog: Facts May Tell But Stories Sellstring(48) "Tiffanie Kellog: Facts May Tell But Stories Sell"

July 5, 2013
, , , , Advertising, Business, Conversation, Marketing/Sales, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Online Networking, Referral Institute, Referrals, Sales, Storytelling, Testimonial, Video Blog, Visibility, Word of Mouth 3

I’ve done quite a few video blogs with Tiffanie Kellog and there’s a very good reason for that . . . she is an outstanding Referral Institute® Trainer, Consultant, & Speaker and she has an unending supply of highly useful ideas and comments to offer.

In this video, I talk with Tiffanie about the power of using compelling stories as testimonials for your products and/or services.  Everyone who makes an effort to build their business through referral marketing has the same goal–to have all those in their network talking positively about their business on their behalf.  So, the best thing to do in order to achieve this goal is to arm those in your network with compelling stories of how you’ve helped clients in ways that have transformed their lives in some aspect . . . your fellow networkers can then share these stories with others who may be potential prospects for you, thus creating the most powerful form of a testimonial you can receive.

Watch this short video now to find out why testimonials that simply state facts about your business do nothing more than tell and how in order to really sell someone on your product or service, you need compelling stories.  Remember . . . facts tell, stories sell!

Be sure to check out Tiffanie’s website by clicking here or visiting TiffanieKellog.com and if you have a compelling story about how you’ve helped a customer or client that you think would be a great testimonial for your business, please share it in the comment forum below–you never know who will see it and you might even generate some referrals by sharing it!

The Power of Undivided Attentionstring(32) "The Power of Undivided Attention"

June 27, 2013
, , , , Building Relationships, Connections, Conversation, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Self Development, Video Blog 11

When you’re at a busy networking event, sometimes it’s easy to fall into the trap of not giving people your undivided attention.  However, making every effort to avoid that trap and to, instead, be fully present and focused on each conversation you have will no doubt help you make a huge impression on people.

In this short video, I tell the story of how I will never forget the impression Sir Richard Branson made on me in this regard.  The first time I met him, we had a brief conversation about raising children and I mentioned my son Trey.  Months later, when we met again at a party, I was standing with my son and Richard approached me and asked, “Is this your son Trey?”

I was shocked that Richard remembered my son’s name from the brief conversation we’d had months earlier and it showed that he had obviously given me his complete undivided attention during our verbal exchange.  This was extremely impressive to me and though I already thought highly of him for his entrepreneurial achievements, this made me think very highly of him in regard to his character as a person in addition.

We all know that when people are impressed with us and like us on a personal level, they are much more apt to want to help us; so, think about the changes it would make within your business if you were to give laser-point focus to each and every individual at the next networking event you attend.

From this point forward, make your best effort to give those you interact with your undivided attention so you can really connect on a personal level.  I guarantee you’ll begin to make a memorable impact on each and every person with whom you speak.

What can you do this week to show those you network with and interact with in all areas of your life that you are giving them your undivided attention? Maybe turn your mobile phone off and put it out of sight while you’re conversing?  Perhaps you could try listening more attentively and focusing on maintaining eye contact so you’re not distracted by what’s going on around you?  Please leave your ideas in the comment forum below.  Thanks!

 

 

‘Why People Resist Networking’ Series: Part IV–Lack of Understandingstring(86) "‘Why People Resist Networking’ Series: Part IV–Lack of Understanding"

June 13, 2013
, , , , , , , Marketing/Sales, Networking, Networking Prep, Networking Tactics, Referrals, Social Capital, Strategy, Success, Video Blog, Word of Mouth 1

In this fourth and final installment of the “Why People Resist Networking” Video Series, I discuss a fourth reason why people likely shy away from networking–Lack of Understanding.

Unfortunately, many people simply don’t understand what networking is and, in addition, they don’t understand the benefits of networking. In this video, I put some common misconceptions to rest about what networking is and I explain why, no matter what business you’re in, it’s best to “take off your bib and put on your apron” if you want networking to work for you.

After watching the video, please leave your feedback, thoughts, and/or comments in the comment forum below.  I would love to hear your feedback on the ideas in the video, as well as any additional ideas you may have about why people may resist networking.  Also, if you haven’t watched Part I, Part II, and Part III of the Series, be sure to check them out. Thanks!

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